Two Mells and a Gowbarrow - Photo Gallery
When you try and plan a route for a walk in an unfamiliar area it isn't very helpful if there are no footpaths marked on the map. I was worried that this walk might be too short and the sight of the larger fells covered by snow did make me think about doing a different walk. However when I parked opposite the phone box in Dockray I realised I had forgotten to bring my winter jacket so it was probably the right walk to do with the clothing that I had with me.
I set off northwards along the road towards Matterdale End, it was bitterly cold but the sky was clear. The streams of water that normally flow down the fells and across the roads were frozen, creating hazards for drivers as well as walkers. I passed through Matterdale End intending to turn right shortly afterwards along what looked like a neat fenced track on the map.
The neat track turned out to be an unused rough track normally very wet but very frozen today. After about half a mile I had to make a careful crossing of a stream, avoiding the slippery ice either side of the fast flowing water. Shortly afterwards I came to a junction with a metalled track where I turned left towards the intriguingly named Racy Cottage.
At the point on the map where the track becomes unfenced is a locked metal gate, the first of several gates that had to be climbed. The track from this point was derelict and unused, shortly afterwards I came across the equally derelict Racy Cottage. It was here that I decided I needed to get up the hill instead of walking around it so I followed the old stone wall in the direction of Great Mell Fell walking through long grass.
Where the wall ends is a fence encircling the fell, there were paths parallel to the fence on both sides of it, neither of them going uphill. I crossed carefully over the fence making sure I didn't snag the barbed wire top of it. Then up the hill, walking through frozen bracken is very strenuous even without the steepness of the gradient, this is not a viable route for summer.
Having got past the bracken the hill was still as steep and walking through snow covered long grass and heather was equally strenuous. Eventually I got to the ridge where a path quickly led me to the summit with its uninterrupted view of a snow covered Blencathra. The views all around were atmospherically wintry and the once clear sky was filled with clouds, would I finish this walk before it snowed again?
From the summit I followed the path, it was taking me in the direction of Little Mell Fell which is where I wanted to go next. The path was obvious over grass of a length that could easily be walked through, although the steeper sections were quite slippery in places and the frozen areas had to be bypassed. After passing through a wooded area I eventually got to a track that was completely covered by ice at its junction with a road.
Turned right and walked along the road for a little way until I got to the entrance to Brownrigg Farm where there is a signpost indicating a Public Footpath. Somebody must have had fun planning this path, the marker arrows take you backwards and forwards across the fields until you cross over a footbridge, after that you are on your own. Walking in the direction of Little Mell Fell you see stiles to get across fences but not much in the way of paths. All of the standing around trying to find my way in the cold wind meant I had to put on my fourth layer of clothing, I will be in trouble if that doesn't keep me warm.
Eventually I found my way to Greenrow although I had to climb another gate to get there and there was a metalled track that led upwards to the road. I turned right and walked along the road for a short way until on the left was an obvious track leading uphill, all I had to do was climb over the locked gate. The foot deep ruts on this track gave a clue as to the natural wetness of the fell and as predicted by Wainwright 49 years ago I met cows rather than sheep.
The track climbs easily in large zigzags until it straightens out going eastwards in the direction of the summit, the only thing in the way is another gate to climb over. More snowy pathless grass to plod through, footsteps in the snow give me some confidence that I am going the right way. From the summit of Little Mell Fell there is a path to follow, it seems to be going in the right direction.
As you follow the path down to the Hause you begin to get views of Ullswater and the hills on the other side of it. As you get to the road you can see a good track heading in the right direction but the gate is locked and topped with barbed wire. I decided to follow the road after turning right and soon afterwards there is another gate on the left that I went through.
Walk across the field until you reach a wall that encloses a conifer plantation, the wall is breached but the barbed wire topped fence is too high to step over. Follow the wall then across the field until you reach another fence in which there is an open gate, carry on across the next field until you reach the next fence. The fence joins the wall and there is room to squeeze between the wall and the end of the fence and if you take your pack off you can squeeze under the wire fencing that fills a gap in the wall.
The long grass and heather is difficult to walk through so I headed eastwards towards more trees and got to the fence that encloses them. There were footprints in the snow parallel to the fence heading in the direction of Gowbarrow Fell so I followed them. The path splits after a while, the one moving away from the fence takes you over Great Meldrum and from there the way to Gowbarrow Fell is obvious.
Gowbarrow Fell looks quite rugged compared to many of the other fells in the area. The path upwards has become eroded and muddy, being frozen makes it a bit awkward in places but it isn't too long before you get to the neat little summit. I want to get back down to Dockray so I am hoping the wall marked on the map going down to the hamlet is accompanied by a footpath.
Yes, the footpath I wanted follows the wall right back to my car.
Andy Wallace 31st December 2003
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